Gingrich surges, slams Obama in S.C.

Ahead or virtually tied with Mitt Romney in new polls, a surging Newt Gingrich swept through the Lowcountry on Thursday, calling Barack Obama a “phony president.”

Gingrich drew a standing ovation during his address to nearly 600 people in Bluffton two days before South Carolina’s potentially pivotal Republican primary.

One survey shows the former U.S. House Speaker a bit ahead of Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who recently led by double-digit percentages. The candidates are roughly even in two other new polls.

There was more wind behind Gingrich: Texas Gov. Rick Perry quit the race and endorsed the former Georgia congressman.

Perry ran fifth in the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses, didn’t campaign for the Jan. 10 New Hampshire primary and was far behind in South Carolina polls.

But the governor’s exit from the race and the endorsement still bodes well for Gingrich, especially if he remains a contender going into the April 3 primary in Texas.

But not all the news was good for Gingrich.

He was repeatedly asked about his ex-wife Marianne’s claim that he asked her for an “open marriage” so he could spend time with aide Callista Bisek, now his wife.

He refused to deal directly with questions on the matter from reporters and a member of the audience at a Beaufort event.

The issue could weigh heavily with some religious and social conservatives expected to vote Saturday.

“I’m not going to say anything bad about Marianne,” Gingrich later told NBC News, lamenting that the network would dig up “family things that are more than a decade old.”

The candidate leveled repeated broadsides at Obama as he spoke at Sun City Hilton Head.

He lambasted the president’s by-invitation only event Thursday at Disney World.

“I think to myself,” Gingrich said, “President Obama, Mickey Mouse.”

“To close the Magic Kingdom for ... a ... meeting on a phony street with a phony president,” he added, “strikes me as weird.”

“I’m thinking about the president standing with Mickey Mouse on one side and Goofy on the other and I’ll let you decide what cabinet offices he’s likely to offer the two of them.”

He continued to press a theme that won him a standing ovation at Monday’s debate in Myrtle Beach — widely viewed as a launch pad for his recent surge in the polls.

Gingrich has aired a TV ad featuring a segment from the debate.

Gingrich said he wants to be the “paycheck president,” not the “food stamp president,” as he’s often called Obama.

“President Barack Obama is the most effective food stamp president,” he said. “He’s put more people on food stamps than any other president because his policies kill jobs.”

The candidate cited as an example Obama’s refusal to allow construction a proposed oil-and-gas pipeline from Canada to Texas, a decision Gingrich said will cost 30,000 to 50,000 jobs.

He also ridiculed Obama for blaming many of his administration’s woes on former President George W. Bush.

“Here’s the problem,” he said. (Former president) Ronald Reagan didn’t run for president in 1984 saying how bad (former president) Jimmy Carter was, because he’d already been president.

“Obama has gone from ‘yes we can’ to ‘why we couldn’t.’ We don’t hire presidents to apologize for failure. We hire presidents to get the job done. ... He’s the president. Going to Disney World doesn’t count.”

People at the Sun City event, which overflowed into an adjacent room where people listened, seemed to like what they heard.

“I thought he was wonderful,” said Dan Kam, a resident of the retirement community. “He expressed the thoughts that most Americans want in a leader of the country.”

“He was excellent,” said Andre Dubel, another Sun City resident. “He’s so knowledgeable. He never hesitates for an answer. He has a proven track record.”

Most people in the audience were apparently unaware of Marianne Gingrich’s contentions.

But in his statement backing Gingrich, Perry seemed to anticipate how at least some people might react.

“Newt is not perfect, but who among us is?” he said. “The fact is, there is forgiveness for those who seek God and I believe in the power of redemption... .”

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Say what you will about Mitt Romney, but here are two words you’ll never hear him utter: “Open marriage.”

I raise this only because I’ve noticed something lately about another of the Republican candidates, namely Newt Gingrich. Women don’t like him. I mean, they really detest him.

This problem predates last night’s “Nightline” interview with his second wife, Marianne, who proved once again that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

Good luck avoiding those ABC sound bites today, now that they’re all in the public domain.

Whether or not either of his first two wives was on her sickbed when he first broached the D-word to her, that’s the story that’s out there. You’ve heard of the Second Wives Club. Callista is president of the Third Wives Club.

No wonder yesterday in Walterboro, S.C., Newt surrounded himself with hostages, most notably his grandchildren. Message: How can I be a horndog if I have grandkids, not to mention a brother who’s a cop who supports the Second Amendment?

And we don't know that Newt uttered those words (open marriage) either. He has flatly denied it, and he said that he provided witnesses to ABC (friends during the marriage of his 2nd wife) to give another side of the story, but ABC refused to interview them - instead deciding to stick with the one-sided story.
-Tells you all you need to know about our liberal media if you ask me.

The "sick bed story", of Newt presenting divorce papers to his wife while she was dying of cancer in the hospital is ANOTHER flat out lie/false story provided by the democrats and our MSM as well.
He and his wife were already separated at the time and were discussing divorce for months prior to her going into the hospital to have a benign tumor removed (she wasn't "dying" or on her deathbed). In fact, Newt didn't present divorce papers to her in the hospital at all - the divorce was HER idea.

The MSM will do everything they can to keep a conservative from being elected. Romney is their man - for now - but once they get him elected to the GOP nominee, watch how they turn on him in the general election.
-Investigative journalism is VERY one-sided when it comes to their coverage of republicans and democrats.

"When a man in a camouflage coat grabs your hand in an Iowa grocery store and calls you ‘a f****ass^^^’ to your face, it might be time to take stock of your position in the South Carolina.This man seam's to know a lot more about Newt then most of us southern's.He is a liar,cheat,big mouth,Only one candidate is worth my vote and he is Ron Paul,he tells it like it is while I don't like all he says it least you no it's the truth.

CG- you should be thanking the "liberal media". If all this information came out after Gingrich got the GOP nomination, it would be one more obstacle for him to overcome in order to beat Obama. Hash it out NOW.

One other thing, CG. Do you believe EVERYTHING you read? LOL! Of course Newt is going to try to spin the whole thing to make himself better. But he has already proven to be a liar, cheater, and flip-flopper.

RH- I said that the divorce was her idea...........not that she filed for divorce first. According to Newt AND their daughter, Jackie was the one who brought up divorce first in conversation. The fact that Newt is the one who filed first doesn't mean that he was the one who first initiated the idea of splitting up.

Missy- Yes........I should "thank" the liberal media for bringing this out now. Yeah right.
We have a major "news" network CNN, with a political hit piece website against Newt including numerous negative videos attacking Gingrich (see Rattled Heads website).
Where were these websites during the Democrat primary in 2008? Where were these hit pieces against John Edwards and his affair while HIS wife had cancer? Edwards even fathered a child with the women and it took a tabloid to make the story public because the MSM stayed as far away from the story as they could!
Where are these "investigative journalist" concerning Obama's dirty Chicago-political days? His association with Rev Wright? His association with Bill Ayers? His association with Tony Rezko and the "deal" he received on his property in Chicago? His association with Rod Blagojevich? His admitted cocaine use? The sweetheart deal of a job that Michelle Obama received after Barack became a congressman?
Barack Obama ran for president of the United States..........and the American people had no idea who the man was - except that he could read the snot out of a teleprompter and was a smooth BS'er.

It's a sad time for America with their media being so one-sided.
It's well known that we rarely get a straight answer out of our politicians, and it's expected. But when we can't get straight answers, or perhaps more importantly, a BALANCED presentation out of our news outlets, then we lose the ability to make sound, informed decisions.

A liar? A cheater? A flip-flopper?
Ha! Name me someone in politics, in EITHER party, that ISN'T!
What we have to decide as citizens/voters is, which one of these flawed individuals will best lead / represent our country and get America back on track.
-For me...........that's anybody but Obama.

The "liberal " media jumps on every chance to discredit a GOP candidate, especially those in the top. I recall absolutely no articles about FDR and his affairs. Or JFK and his visitors at night. Or Johnson and his affairs. But those were Democrats. Only later did we find out in those "tell tale" books published later.

Now that FOX is around, they will balance the media attention and focus on Democratic indiscretions. That way, the liberal media is obligated to publish something.

But frankly, for me, those issues are not as important. I want my surgeon to be the best around regardless of his personal life. I want my airline pilot to be among the best when I fly regardless of his personal life. And I want my president to create jobs and keep this nation safe, regardless of his personal life.

Newt has made some personal mistakes in his past, but has had a long marriage to his present wife. He is capable, and I could see either him or Romney being POTUS and do a great job.

I'll say it again. Quit complaining that you conservatives aren't smart enough to be able to reach the public! Tell your conservative cohorts to buck up and start doing their jobs! Buy more media outlets! Learn how to combat "misinformation". Just quit blaming everyone else for their ineptitude.

BTW- I really dont care what Newt does in his bedroom. In fact, I prefer not to think about it ;)

No "whine" here Missy. I'm simply stating FACTS when it comes to our biased media, and at this point (with liberal dominance in those areas) it has nothing to do with conservatives being "smart enough" in getting their message out to the public.
As I've stated before, a republican cannot simply "get their message out", like a democrat can. If the media doesn't want to cover a republican press conference, talking point, message, interview, etc........then they won't.
Liberals have DOMINATED the media, Hollywood, and academia for decades now. I guess you could suggest that more republicans should get into those avenues of our society, but it is SO dominated by libs that conservatives see no reason to go there as a career. Many conservatives that ARE in those 3 areas (media, education, and Hollywood) complain that, once it becomes common knowledge what their political affiliation is, they get shut out by their peers and superiors, thus putting roadblocks up for their careers / advancement.
-If you're a young conservative looking at careers in different fields, why bother going through that kind of headache if you don't have to?

It isn't as cut and dry and you would like to make it seem. At this time in our Nations history, our media / communication outlets are SO biased that it's hard to infiltrate those areas.
Fox news and talk radio is about the only areas where conservatives have a voice. However, if Obama gets elected to another term, he may have something to say about that as well.
-Another executive order, or recess appointment (when Congress ISN'T in recess) may be in order for the left-wing dictator-in-chief.

FOX is the only major net where conservatives and GOP do have a voice. And the left considers that biased, since they don't agree. Since FOX has the best ratings, it dispels the "unfair and biased" myth. DRUDGE is great on the internet and is very popular.

Dalighted- I think that may be what Perry was thinking.
America is being "transformed" now by a left-wing ideologue / Saul Alinsky clone who wants to take us in the direction on Europe with more and more spending and more and more people dependent on government. I think Perry was saying that he thinks Newt could bring us back from that.
You have to remember that Perry is a Texan. Those folks over in Texas, with all due respect to them, don't seem to have a clear grasp of the English language. ;-)

Heron- I agree, Fox is the only news outlet that allows people to hear both sides of the story. The thing is, liberals HATE Fox with a passion and complain about their bias. That's ONE channel out of the dozens of news outlets on TV today, and they rant and rave like no tomorrow............about ONE station.
-How do they think WE felt for all those years about EVERY station prior to Fox going on the air?

Really Rattled Head? A 1998 lawsuit regarding a former employee suing Fox because she felt she knew a story about the widespread use of a growth hormone in cows, to be false?
-Growth hormone use in cows?? That's the best you could come up with???
How politically disingenuous of Fox! Oh, the political bias!!!

Are you saying that the left-wing loons reporting on all the MSM outlets don't report stories that they know or think are false?
-I don't think you want to go down that road RH. Seriously.

How about the fabricated story by Dan Rather and 60 Minutes in an effort to try and destroy the President of the United States back in 2004 and try and keep him from being re-elected? There were people at CBS that knew the story was false / fabricated, yet they ran with the story anyway - BECAUSE of their bias. It also cost Dan Rather his job.
-A tad more important than cows, I would say.

Actually Rattled Head, it appears that it is YOU who is trying to spin things here.
Do a little digging, and once you get past all the Left-wing websites and their biased reporting on this story, you start to find the truth.